Chase Elliott spins during qualifying, will start near the back of the field at Pocono

If you’re a Chase Elliott fan, this is not what you wanted to see. Elliott went spinning in qualifying at Pocono Raceway. This team has struggled in the last month. Things have to turn around soon or Elliott will be missing out on the NASCAR Playoffs. This was a blown opportunity.

Chase Elliott was in Group B qualifying. He was one of the last six drivers or so to run their qualifying lap. While drivers like Ty Gibbs and Corey LaJoie were quick, Elliott didn’t even get a chance to cross the finish line.

This looks like it is going to be a week of wondering what happened. It is hard, if not impossible, to win from the back at Pocono.

DISASTER for Chase Elliott!

He spins in qualifying and will start near the rear of the field. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/6NVjLttMxC

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 22, 2023

The thing that really hurts is the fact that his teammates seemed to perform pretty well. Kyle Larson and William Byron both made the final qualifying round. This might be another weekend where Elliott wonders why his teammates are so much faster. He’s going to have to work hard to get even a decent finishing position.

This isn’t the end of Chase Elliott’s Saturday. He has the Xfinity Series race coming up later today. He qualified P13 for that race. Something has to give for Elliott at some point. However, right now, he just looks lost.

Another tough showing for Chase Elliott

As far as the Cup Series goes, it will be a long and hard road for Chase Elliott to make his way up through the field. And that is just to contend for a top-10 spot in the field. The past two weeks, we have seen Elliott mired down in the 20s and high teens. Can he make something of his terrible qualifying session?

Perhaps Elliott will shake it all off. He has the Xfinity Series race coming up. That will give him a chance to make a good run, get a solid result, and maybe build momentum. The thing is, two of Elliott’s teammates made the top-10 in qualifying.

So, if William Byron and Kyle Larson are speeding around, why not Elliott? Byron was fast enough to win the pole at Pocono, but Elliott couldn’t take the bumps of Pocono’s track.

It is so hard to make any definitive statements about Chase Elliott and his playoff chances. Right now, you can almost guarantee that he won’t get in on points. He is 60 points off the cutline and starting P35 or close to it, won’t help him earn points. A win is likely the path Elliott takes to the postseason.